The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-02

ANTOINE MORELLI
A Tale Of Other Days.
by CHRISTOPHER ID. p. EPwoRrH.

by CHRISTOPHER Ii. r. EPWORTH.
Aud this was what read In the yellow and
time-worn manuscript which rustled like dead
leaves in my hand:
The moonlight was falling on the path that
led up to the door of my home, when
alichted from my horse at the gate, aud looked
around me. 1t was small, dark cottage with a
plantation of fir traes behind il, and four cross
reads meeting just in front. At the junction of
these roads stone cross WAS planted, which had
evidently been standing for many years, as it
was overerown with moss and lichen and on
one of the arms a robin had built her nest
looked up in astonishment. The house of
which the writer spoke was my temporary home
land there just beyond the gate, were the four
crossroads, the stone cross, and some remains
of the robins nest still swinging in the breeze
What did it mean?
Some strange fancies took possession of nv
mind as ! gazed around and noted this pecu-
liarity in the landscape. At the crossing of four
roads. had always been told in my childhood,
it was customary to bury the criminals who had
suffered the full rgor of the law. 1t seemed
that ! could imagine far down beneath that
cross, The form OF dead man, with a stake
thrust through his heart. When leaned over
the gate. and long and narrow mound at
its foot, was certain that it was so. although,
at the same time, common sense taught me to
the contrary and made me smile at my folly"
laid down the paper and looked out at the
stone The daisies were growing thickly
ali around it. but at it's foot they seemed spring
ing from trench-their heads were lower than
those around them. / went out boldiy--for the
afternoon sun was shining in the sky-and gath
ared some from each place. The stems were
Hike in lergth. This irregularty, therefore
must proceed from some other cause-and that,
-he sinking Of the grave where the felon was
buried. shuddered as thought of him then
with the stake driven through his heart came
back and began to read again.
''i5ut 1 was not be driven from my purpose
by "a grave. had entered that solitude in search
OF peace-and in the low -roofed cottage before
me it might be found. / unfasted the gate. won
derrg Us did so, whose fingers had touched it
last, and went up through the tall grass to the
honse The door was fastened with rusty pad
lock, of which had the key 1t creaked dis
maly as / entered and the threshold, sloping
suddenly downward, sent me headlong into the
room. thousand echoes sounded through the
old house as fell upon one knee
when the noise and dust had subsidized.
struck match, lighted small pocket taper
which l carried with me- and looked around.
The room in which l stood was large and gloomy.
The walls were paneled and painted a dark green
the easements were shattered; the floor loose and
creakng beneath my step. and the air full of
floating cob webs that hung from the walls and
ceilings. swaying about with every breath OF
wind. Several large rats ran across the floor as
Is.ood there great toad sat close in the corner
blinking at the light, and fat. bloated spider
fell from the ceiling upon my coat brushed
him off, with a shudder, and passed into the next
room.
looked over my shoulder Yes, the writer
had described the room faithfully. 1t was the
same now, though the rats aud the toad were
gone, and the spiders web had been brushed
away But in the inner room-the room which
l had chosen my favorite nook fer reading
and study-what would he discover there3
sit was much smaller than the other--lighteI
: and more cheerful Through the broken case
ments came the perfume of the red rose;
which grew outside, and the moonlight fell il
broken patches the floor. This room was
also pansled but it was painted prettily- som
light dsicate tint that was more like dove
color than anything else l can call to mind
while the floor looked like clean green marble
In this room found the few articles Of fur
niture which 1thad ordered-a bic, some chairs
stove, bookcase, and my writing desk.
flung myself down in easy chair that stood
beside the window, and inhaled the fragrance
of the roses while ] surveyed my new domain
Suddenly my eyes CHANGED upon an objec
which made me start and sit upright in m.
chair. NV little taper was burning on the tabl
opposite me, and above fright above it-a fac
seemed growing out of the panel to confront me
A dark. swarthy Italian face, with long, snak
locks of black hair falling around the hollo'
cheeks, with piercing, evil black eyes, that SCENE
to look me through and through. A dull re
glow seemed to pervade the whole face as ii FIR
was kindled behind it-and through the lips
half parted in a sardonic emile, saw the CLEAR
of white, wofsh teeth, sharp and regular.
For a moment l sat motionless, and hear
my own heart beat Then / mustered courag
20 take up the lamp and gaze at the thing sti
nearer. Pshawi 1t was only picture, painte
on the panel, and the dull red glow was OWN
made the background both lurid and murky
and the pale face stood out from it in bold r,
lief. l sighed sigh of ineffable relief when
found what it really was. and went out to car
for my horse which began 70 neigh and stamp i'm
patiently. saw him safely bestowed fo- tn
night, and coming back found my own sma
cot placed In bedroom which opened out
that which contained the picture, and which
dgnfed with the name of study
1T not late when l extinguished m
taper and laid down to sleep-but the moon ha
mounted high In the heavens before | ha
closed my eyes / had never thought myself
fanciful or imaginative man; my nerves. ha
always supposed, were proof against all DANCE
seen unseen-yer some strange presentimer
haunted me, and that face close beside n
all the time To me it seemed as the face OF
fiend
II do not know that should have slept ii
daybreak had it not been for a neigh from n
horse, which always seemed restless Strange
itmay seem, that sooth-d me with a sense
companionshp and safety-and found the r
pose l so much needed"
The picture Of the Italian face had never bee
removed from the panel on which it painte
got up from nv seat in the open door tor
the story progressed dared not read it in Il
house), and went in to look at It. Many tin
had it startled me, but never so much as the
new expression seemed stamped upon t.
face-the lurid glow deepened and darl
ened, and the thin lips smiled mol
sardonicaly than ever. ] remember thin
ing, as I stood there, that it on
needed a pair of horns projecting beneath tn
tangled black hair and deep furrow upon &
brow. as if hot iron had been across it, to ma
faithful picture of the arch enemy, of tn
Ill f=ax haau